How do you pay for these MB/P/As? Future College Kid lay it on me...

[delicatepc]

Hi, first post. Never had a mac in my life. Been born and raise on windows (pops a senior tech for the bigwiggies at M$).

Looking through these forums I assume I am catching what I would call "Mac Fever". Its almost neurotic. And it all began with the gateway drug of the IPhone.....

My question is now that I am willing to buy a mac (laptop) how do I afford it?

Should I got with the 180-Day Same as Cash financing or should I save up or what? Dont give me the "saving up is the best choice" cause one you get the burn it only disappears once you get your next hit. Everyone knows the most financially sound decisions...

And as a rule how does everyone else afford these purchases? I read a least 20 posts of people who had bought the MBA asap. Where I live not many people have 2K laying around..... true however everything they own is in credit/leases....

And to top that all off im a heading off to college.

2-3k is a lot lot of money especially when you dont have it.... and part time job is not going to readily supply it either.

What would you do?

dpc

 

[Norco]

Once you are in college, buy through the education store (or Apple Development Connection store if you are doing any type of development stuff), which gives you a discount between 10-20% on the hardware. Also apply for one of those 12-month 0% apr credit cards (if your credit is good enough), and purchase it using that. Cheapest way to do it if you don't have the cash, but watch out, while you are in college it is VERY easy to accumulate credit card debt (average grad leaves with like $2,000+). Hope that helps.

 

[heatmiser]

Save, sell, and save some more. Don't buy anything you can't pay off in full by the end of the month. I promise you you'll live longer this way. Sell your PC gear to fund your Mac gear. Always buy refurbished, never buy retail. Stay away from finance plans. Stop looking for whatever Next Hip Thing apple releases, and prioritize (for example, students have no business with an MBA). Stop buying extraneous stuff (like iPhones and iPods and other iGadgets). Every dollar you spend on something other than your target moves you a dollar farther away.

Just sell your PC, stop spending money, and buy a refurbished Macbook. Quickest and most effective path.

 

[samh004]

What would you do?

Personally I don't think the MBA is geared towards college students. So you shouldn't even be wondering how your going to afford it. You should be looking at a standard MacBook, and you should get a job to help finance not just your computer, but other things you'll be needing too.

If your really strapped for cash you could always get a Mac mini too... they're pretty decent machines.

 

[7even]

Job, saving money, etc. Same way as you pay for anything else, just takes longer to save for...

 

[rsbell]

Student Loans!!!

Just kidding! DO NOT USE STUDENT LOANS TO BUY A COMPUTER!

The 180 day same as cash is fine, if you have the discipline to pay it off in the 180 days. Most people don't. Since you are young, I will assume you don't, either. Besides, as a new student, you will have enough to worry about (and certainly have unexpected expenses), so you want to stay as far from credit as you can.

Like the other posters have said, work and save and work and save. Personally, I think the first thing you should do is set aside an emergency fund of $!,000.00 before you start thinking about a computer.

And while you save, the bugs will get worked out and you can get the first revision with a penryn processor...

I'm a bankruptcy attorney, and I see people every day who have no idea of the proper use of credit. Hint: the only proper way to use credit is to NOT use it!

If you can't pay cash, you can't afford it.

So get to work and save.

 

[jackc]

Didn't you know, all Mac users are rich so it's not an issue.

 

[TBi]

I sell my body!

Na seriously, i just save up for anything i want (always have). If you still want something after a few months of saving then you know you definately want it.

Although these days i'm working so i usually have enough saved up already when something flashy comes out

 

[delicatepc]

Save, sell, and save some more. Don't buy anything you can't pay off in full by the end of the month. I promise you you'll live longer this way. Sell your PC gear to fund your Mac gear. Always buy refurbished, never buy retail. Stay away from finance plans. Stop looking for whatever Next Hip Thing apple releases, and prioritize (for example, students have no business with an MBA). Stop buying extraneous stuff (like iPhones and iPods and other iGadgets). Every dollar you spend on something other than your target moves you a dollar farther away.

Just sell your PC, stop spending money, and buy a refurbished Macbook. Quickest and most effective path.

In the next three/four months I will have 3-4K coming to me (small car crash hopefully settles in my favor otherwise no toys for me). What I thought was to buy a set of toys (Macbook+-A/P + timecapsule server) and take that 2500 bill and do 180day same as cash financing. As a security I will hold my 3-4k in savings and pay the bill monthly from my parttime job. Worst comes to worst I take money from savings to stay on track....

This way I dont dump 2500 on gadgets and feel cheated (Cause i would). But at the end of 6 months I will hopefully still have 3-4K in savings and a some toys. And some experience with credit card bills.

I understand the argument against a MBA for a student. However for me its kinda of different. In my room I have 4 computers. I used to be extremely all out computer freak (we are talking so much computers that no room to walk). Right now I am getting rid of absolutely EVERYTHING! I hate computers now and I have become a consumer (I have realized that when push comes to shove computers are just toys). The reason I look into a Air is simply because of the following:
1) Barebones machine (ie I dont need alot of the basics MB/P offers)
2) Better battery life -- Crazy big deal to me (and I hate two batteries)
3) More of an appliance to me (not interested in tinkering)
4) Less Power/Less Possiblity = + for me (The allure of games/video editing is powerful. I dont want to go back to what I use to be).
5) Sick design
6) Weight is the last reason however it still applies.

Negatives are plentiful if not outweighing the positives. But the way I see it lack of ethernet/cddrive makes more sense to me then wanting to need them. I WANT to be WIRELESS. I WANT to be CDLESS. I hate both and I rather work around them (get my media elsewhere) and use a wireless router. Leave that other stuff to the desktops and servers.

The MBP is somewhat an oxymoron. Not that makes it in anyway a bad idea. But editing/creation/gaming is by far more cost effective and better experience overall with a desktop (think 30" screen/nice sound system/comfy chair-table/powerhouse). But each to his own (a year ago I would of loved the MBP)

Macbook and Macbook Pros are the more financially sound options and each outperform the MBA for a lot less cost. Probably more long lasting too (with abuse the Air could see some easy snapping).

Seriously computers are in way like a bad girl friend. Why want to need something just to satisfy her crazy ideas? Why should I want to spend my days playing video games? Why want to video edit? Sure its all fun but at the end of a hard long day the only thing I want is to turn on a movie/music and fall asleep or similar - Do not want to tinker or play around anymore.

One of the reason I am even consider am Mac is simply cause I want to detach myself from the computer field. And thats coming from a guy who ran a computer specialty shop (true a very small one with my brother).

I have no doubt I still be somewhat a computer freak all my life (i mean it was the bread and butter of my childhood and teen years). But its like End-Game syndrome -- It pops up but its no longer my life.

There is more to life in my opinion.

 

[asdfTT123]

As a college student, I suggest you find a campus job...I assume on most campuses there are many part-time job openings. When you become an upperclassmen, if you can, apply to higher paying jobs such as teaching assistant positions. I worked as a TA in the chemistry department, which netted me enough money for a Macbook in a few weeks. No matter how good or dismal the pay, it's surprising what a few hours per week can get you.

 

[ibizarocks]

earn the ££!!

I have a job whilst I'm at uni doing some graphic design work and on a weekend I DJ in various nightclubs which is all cash in hand and brilliantly doesn't need to go through the tax man! I earn more working 3 hours on a saturday night than I do working a 40hour week!!

 

[mavherzog]

I addition to seeing people here at MacRumors jumping to buy the latest/greatest thing from Apple...you'll also see plenty of posts from people looking to *finally* upgrade ancient hardware. These are the people you should admire from a financial standpoint. Even if you don't take it to the extreme and hold on to your next Mac for 10+ years, saving up and paying cash is very sound advice.

Why do you need credit card experience? Best case scenario, you should never have to know what it is like to incur non-collateralized debt.

Personally, I always pay cash. My mortgage is my sole exception (yes, we save up and pay cash for our vehicles as well). It takes a lot of discipline and planning...but it is the absolute best thing you can do for your long term financial health.

 

[KingYaba]

Sell your iPhone and the computer you are typing on. Mow lawns or something and it shouldn't take long.

 

[delicatepc]

Sell your iPhone and the computer you are typing on. Mow lawns or something and it shouldn't take long.

Really stupid ideas.... especially for a college student.

PCs dont sell well (and you need something to work on). No cellphone is two steps backwards and one forward(extra money). Mowing lawns after 15 years age is a waste of time/money/energy (smarter to work parttime).

ibizarocks good point. I used to make decent amounts of money on the weekend doing pc repairs. Problem is I fixed everything so well I only get calls once every 6 months now or so and then its usually some porn site they "accidentally visited" or their kid that messes something up.

Proper repairs dont bring return customers sadly (not in the amount/often you would desire).

Inproper repairs on the otherhand are just stupid and dont get you far either...

dpc

 

[Golcondio]

During University I did guitar lessons, some gigs, computer repairs, private lessons in most secondary school courses...
Now I've got a full-time job (Engineering) that earns me 75% of a 2,2 MBP each month crappy Italian salaries...

 

[KingYaba]

I fail to see how mowing lawns is a stupid idea. You could make $10-$15/hr.

 

[skyrider007]

I fail to see how mowing lawns is a stupid idea. You could make $10-$15/hr.

i agree, and the house wife (or hubby) could be hot. it''s worth a shot.

 

[glocke12]

If you can save up the cash in a relatively short period of time, (under 4-5 months), thats the best way. Cut down on expenses like eating out, buying beer, etc...Maybe get a second job for a little bit until you have the funds.

Whatever you do, especially as a college student, try to avoid getting one on a credit card. As a student, that amount of debt is pretty hard to get rid of, and trust me, you do not want to go through college with credit card debt.

Other alternatives are to forget about getting the latest/greatest apple product and buy an older model, or even a refurb.

To put things into perspective, when I was in college 15 years ago, but with the abundance of PC's in the computer lab at school, I realized I didnt really need one. Now 15 years later, with college far behind me, I am now able to afford these toys I couldnt afford before.

 

[clevin]

looks like you better goto college first, after a year of college life, you can come back and make decision.

 

[saltyzoo]

I fail to see how mowing lawns is a stupid idea. You could make $10-$15/hr.

I think it's against the law to buy an Apple product with money earned by manual labor.




Seriously though, how does 180 days same as cash help if you have no source of income? That's the trick I want to learn.

 

[EvryDayImShufln]

I know! You can ship me iPhones up here in Canada, I can unlock and sell them for 600$ and we can split the profit!

 

[mashoutposse]

Unless your terms are 0% APR for at least a year, financing a computer is ill-advised. While Macs are far better than the norm in this regard, computers depreciate immediately and sharply. There's nothing worse than STILL making payments on something that has long since been discontinued. Wait, there IS something worse: totalling up your payments and realizing that you paid $500 extra in interest Then putting up your $3000 discontinued computer on eBay and getting only $1000 for it

Your easiest option is to get a steady job and use a credit card with a promotional introductory 12-month 0% APR (aka NO INTEREST). Don't do this until you get the job or else you won't keep up with the payments (not minimum payments -- the payments required so that you pay off the ENTIRE amount within the 12 months).

That or save up and pay cash.

 

[hockeysc23]

Really stupid ideas.... especially for a college student.

PCs dont sell well (and you need something to work on). No cellphone is two steps backwards and one forward(extra money). Mowing lawns after 15 years age is a waste of time/money/energy (smarter to work parttime).

On a side note there is a lot of good money in mowing lawns. Tax free, about 20 bucks an hour, and you get fresh air and exercise.

But on another note, I think you have missed and tried to justify the need to have the money for the item you want.

If you don't have the cash save up. As a recent college alum, you don't need anything more than a MB, for college. It would perform fine.

If you really want the newest coolest technology don't use credit gimicks designed to make you go in debt. Save up and you will enjoy it that much more.

 

[Golcondio]

If you really want the newest coolest technology don't use credit gimicks designed to make you go in debt.

Seconded, thirded and googolplexed!
Here in Italy, millions (about 15% of 59 millions people) of people are brought down to their knees by credit cards and false 0% interest advertising: most of the time you end up paying the financing institutes 20-30% more that the actual price.

 

[DesignerOnMac]

Sounds like you have your head together mate....

In the next three/four months I will have 3-4K coming to me (small car crash hopefully settles in my favor otherwise no toys for me). What I thought was to buy a set of toys (Macbook+-A/P + timecapsule server) and take that 2500 bill and do 180day same as cash financing. As a security I will hold my 3-4k in savings and pay the bill monthly from my parttime job. Worst comes to worst I take money from savings to stay on track....

This way I dont dump 2500 on gadgets and feel cheated (Cause i would). But at the end of 6 months I will hopefully still have 3-4K in savings and a some toys. And some experience with credit card bills.

I understand the argument against a MBA for a student. However for me its kinda of different. In my room I have 4 computers. I used to be extremely all out computer freak (we are talking so much computers that no room to walk). Right now I am getting rid of absolutely EVERYTHING! I hate computers now and I have become a consumer (I have realized that when push comes to shove computers are just toys). The reason I look into a Air is simply because of the following:
1) Barebones machine (ie I dont need alot of the basics MB/P offers)
2) Better battery life -- Crazy big deal to me (and I hate two batteries)
3) More of an appliance to me (not interested in tinkering)
4) Less Power/Less Possiblity = + for me (The allure of games/video editing is powerful. I dont want to go back to what I use to be).
5) Sick design
6) Weight is the last reason however it still applies.

Negatives are plentiful if not outweighing the positives. But the way I see it lack of ethernet/cddrive makes more sense to me then wanting to need them. I WANT to be WIRELESS. I WANT to be CDLESS. I hate both and I rather work around them (get my media elsewhere) and use a wireless router. Leave that other stuff to the desktops and servers.

The MBP is somewhat an oxymoron. Not that makes it in anyway a bad idea. But editing/creation/gaming is by far more cost effective and better experience overall with a desktop (think 30" screen/nice sound system/comfy chair-table/powerhouse). But each to his own (a year ago I would of loved the MBP)

Macbook and Macbook Pros are the more financially sound options and each outperform the MBA for a lot less cost. Probably more long lasting too (with abuse the Air could see some easy snapping).

Seriously computers are in way like a bad girl friend. Why want to need something just to satisfy her crazy ideas? Why should I want to spend my days playing video games? Why want to video edit? Sure its all fun but at the end of a hard long day the only thing I want is to turn on a movie/music and fall asleep or similar - Do not want to tinker or play around anymore.

One of the reason I am even consider am Mac is simply cause I want to detach myself from the computer field. And thats coming from a guy who ran a computer specialty shop (true a very small one with my brother).

I have no doubt I still be somewhat a computer freak all my life (i mean it was the bread and butter of my childhood and teen years). But its like End-Game syndrome -- It pops up but its no longer my life.

There is more to life in my opinion.

Don't listen to the whiners about the MBA. if that suits your needs than go for it. I think your savings and same as cash 180 is sound also and allows you to learn how to manage your money with a CC.